Wireless Security Cameras Reviews 2020

Today, we will discuss how to choose your smart security cameras for home. We will learn how to identify the key values, the different types, and of course, some products worthy of your considerations.

In the recent years, we have seen the trend for smart home technologies blooming like never before. We see smart lighting products became cheaper (and way cooler) than ever; smart home hubs became more accessible and integrated, smart door locks provide keyless entry, and how smart thermostats can save a lot of energy from your air conditioning systems. However, arguably, the most important of all the smart home products are those regarding security. The ‘smart’ home, first and foremost, should be smarter in defending itself, and that’s why smart security cameras are, arguably, the most important.

Wireless Security Cameras Reviews will tell you how far the world has come in embracing the most impressive technology in home security. From intelligent night vision modes to the motorized rotating base, best wireless cameras to interesting incognito kinds, there’s just so much to explore out there. And it’s only getting better by the day. A sneak peak into Wireless Camera Reviews will tell you how much the technology has changed.

Some are affordable some are not, but here’s a quick overview of the Top Surveillance Cameras that you cannot afford to miss. They come with their pros and cons, but a look at these WiFi Cameras will update you on what to vouch for.

Without further ado, let’s begin our best wireless security camera system reviews by discussing the different types available.

Types of Smart Wireless Cameras

Indoor Smart Security Camera

As the name suggests, this wireless surveillance camera is intended for indoor usage. For indoor cameras, durability and waterproofing shouldn’t be an issue, as well as wiring. Arguably, the most important qualities for indoor cameras are size, and how easily it can be installed and used. If you have children or pets in the household, you might also need to consider the safety, and how it will be mounted.

Outdoor Smart Security Camera

For outdoor applications, things get more complicated. First and foremost, wireless outdoor security cameras should be waterproof and weatherproof to withstand rain and snow. They can also benefit from having a wire-free installation from a built-in battery. Considering it might be located relatively far from your Wi-Fi router, a strong Wi-Fi receiver is also a must.

Key Features You Should Consider

Video Quality

Being a camera, video resolution should be your first consideration. 720p is the standard nowadays and will provide you with a nice balance of quality and speed (depending on your internet connection). There are products offering 1080p, or even 1440p resolutions, which is, of course, a nice luxury to have.

You should also consider how they performed at night. All of them should have some sorts of night vision technology, either with Infrared or native night vision technology.

Sound Quality

If it’s outdoor home security cameras, it’s good to consider whether the camera has some form of noise cancellation technology.

Smartphone App

Being a ‘smart’ security camera, it should be able to be monitored and controlled from a smartphone app. The quality of the app will vary with different manufacturers, and should also be a thing to consider.

Check how intuitive the smartphone app is, and how easy to monitor and control the camera. Can the app integrate with other smart home products or control several cameras at once?

Ease of Installation and Use

There’s no use of a smart security camera with all the rich features if it’s overly complicated, and will only add more headache instead of being practical. Some of the smart security cameras will come with a wire-free approach, some wired. Nevertheless, it should be simple enough to install, integrate, and control.

For this section, we have come with ten best wireless home security camera products. After we tested all the different products, here are what we deemed the best of the best. Without further ado, here they are in no particular order:

Netgear Arlo

We will begin our top ten list with three products from Netgear, one of the most respectable manufacturers for smart security camera nowadays. We will begin with their flagship model, the Arlo, followed by the Arlo Pro and the Arlo Q below. As their names may suggest, both the Arlo Q and Arlo Pro can be said as ‘upgrades’ from the Arlo, and that is why we discuss the standard Arlo model first.

The Netgear Arlo is a battery-powered camera that can be used both for indoor and outdoor applications, with a maximum resolution of 720p, night vision mode, motion detection, and sound detection. To begin with, let us discuss the key features of the Netgear Arlo.

Features

Waterproof and Weatherproof – The Netgear Arlo is designed to be versatile and can be used for both outdoor and indoor application. For outdoor usage, weatherproof is an important feature.

Wire-Free – Using Four (4) Lithium CR123 Photo that can last for four to six months, depending on use.

Pros & Cons

PROS:

Wire-Free for placement flexibility

Excellent Arlo smartphone app

Excellent motion and sound detection

Built-in alarm (with the additional base station)

Freemium cloud storage service

CONS:

720p resolution is a bit obsolete

No local storage option

Limited third-party integration options

Battery not rechargeable

The Netgear Arlo is a very decent outdoor/indoor security camera, paired with a powerful smartphone app. There are some flaws about the Arlo, namely the video resolution quality and a non-rechargeable battery.

With Netgear Arlo PRO in the picture, you can expect some of those issued to be addressed, for roughly a $40 price difference (more on the Arlo Pro section below).

The Netgear Arlo is a decent choice if you won’t need to place the camera in a difficult to reach terrain, as replacing the battery can be a hassle. A very decent product with great overall quality and strong Netgear infrastructure, also one of the best night vision security camera products.

Netgear Arlo Pro

We moved on to the Arlo Pro, which we have discussed briefly above. As we have mentioned, and as the name may suggest, the Netgear Arlo Pro is a direct upgrade from the standard Arlo, and thus you will find many similar features shared between them both. With that being said, our discussion for the Arlo Pro should focus on the difference.

The first noticeable upgrade of the PRO version is the rechargeable battery, which can be charged with a simple USB cable, not unlike your smartphones. That single feature adds extra dimensions of flexibility, both in placement and applications, and we should say that it is a worthy addition. Another notable difference is the addition of local storage with USB flash disk or hard disk, which is certainly a nice thing to have. Here are the key features of the product.

Features

130-Degree Field of Vision – Another upgrade is the extra 20-degrees of viewing angle, which can mean a lot for your security.

Improved Wire-Free – With the rechargeable battery, you can install this product anywhere.

Weatherproof – The Arlo Pro still retains the excellent weatherproof finish of the Arlo, making it a decent outdoor/indoor spy camera.

Pros & Cons

PROS:

Rechargeable battery with USB cable

Excellent Arlo smartphone app

Excellent motion and sound detection

Built-in alarm (with the additional base station)

Freemium cloud storage service and local storage option

CONS:

720p resolution not upgraded from the Arlo

Limited third-party integration options

With roughly a $40 price difference over the Netgear Arlo, we feel that the Arlo Pro is indeed a worthy upgrade. However, the lack of video resolution upgrade to 1080p is unfortunate, although it’s not a definite deal breaker.

For an indoor/outdoor security camera, the Netgear Arlo Pro is simply one of the best surveillance cameras out there. The key highlight is its versatility, and how it performed well in almost all aspects.

Netgear Arlo Q

While Netgear Arlo and Arlo Pro are weatherproof and can be used outdoor wireless camera, the Netgear Arlo Q is a dedicated indoor camera. While you lose the wire-free feature and weatherproof finish, you get a full HD 1080p video resolution, along with some other differences. Being an indoor camera, it is relatively simpler to install and use.

The Arlo Q retains many great qualities of the Netgear Arlo, with some upgrades including the better video resolution mentioned.

Simple and Easy To Use – Very easy to install and use, and won’t need a complex wiring

Motion and Sound Detection With Push Notifications -Capturing every indoor activity with a smart motion and sound detection technology

130-Degree Field of Vision – The viewing angle of the Arlo Q is similar to the Arlo Pro and is among the best compared to the competitor.

While the Netgear Arlo Q is a strictly indoor-only security camera, it is also one of the best options if you are looking for a decent indoor camera. The full HD 1080p video resolution allows you to capture all the beautiful moments inside your house, along with capturing in great detail when the need of security arises.

The simplicity and ease of use, paired with the intuitive Arlo smartphone app made the Arlo Q one of the best indoor smart security cameras today.

The 1080p HD video quality is a consideration to choose the Arlo Q over the -arguably- better Arlo Pro. They both performed well in almost all categories.

Ring Stick Up Cam

Ring is a brand more synonymous with the smart doorbell industry, being one of the pioneers and biggest players for smart doorbells. Thus, we can expect to see many similarities between the Stick Up Cam and their smart doorbell product, especially the standard model, which is an excellent product on its own.

Here are the key features of the Ring Stick Up Cam

Features

Ease of Installation – Easy, almost plugs and play installation, similar to their smart doorbell products. The package includes everything you would need to install the Stick Up Cam: anchors, screwdriver, drill bit, and many others.

Flexibility in Positioning – You can use the Ring Stick Up Cam with the wired setup to the power outlet. It also provides a built-in battery, and if it’s not enough, there’s an additional Ring Solar Panel accessory.

Third-Party Integration – Ring is famous for their amazing third-party integration with their smart doorbell products, and it’s the same case with the Stick Up Cam. It supports IFTTT, Kevo, Wink devices, Amazon Echo and Alexa, as well as the trustworthy IFTTT recipe.

Intuitive App – Ring’s smartphone app is one of the best and easy to use out there. You can monitor and control multiple cameras (and smart doorbells) seamlessly.

Great third party integrations with a lot of devices and smart home systems

Intuitive Ring app

Durable

Relatively cheap cloud storage service compared to the competitors

CONS:

Only 80-degrees viewing angle, severely limited compared to the competitors

Only 720p video resolution

Wi-Fi reception is unstable and weak at times; you might need the additional Chime Pro accessory or a Wi-Fi Extender

The Ring Stick Up Cam is a decent product, but it has its flaws. However, if you are already using Ring products, such as the smart doorbells, it will provide a nice integration with each other. The main highlight of the Ring Stick Up Cam, in our opinion, is the versatile third-party integration with so many hubs and protocols out there.

Ring also recently released an upgraded version, dubbed the Ring Floodlight Cam with upgraded video resolution, better viewing field of vision, and of course, a floodlight.

Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera

Nest is a big name for smart home technologies, being one of the pioneers and biggest names in smart home hubs and apps. Their most popular product, arguably, is their security cameras wireless, being the best sellers in many marketplaces. We will first discuss the indoor version of the Nest Cam, and the outdoor version later below.

Features

1080p HD, 130-Degree Field of Vision – Full HD video quality with very wide viewing angle

The Nest Cam Indoor is an excellent product in almost every aspect. It is well-built and durable, easy to use, and produce a very high quality 1080p camera. It has a fairly limited third party integration, but given the strong integration to Nest’s own system, we can almost say that it is unnecessary.

One of the best wireless camera choices for an indoor camera, and is exceptionally consistent throughout prolonged use.

Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera

The outdoor version of the nest cam is very similar to the indoor counterpart. It also boasts the 1080p HD video resolution, which is quite a rarity among outdoor cameras. Again, the strong infrastructure of Nest-compatible products and apps is the core strength of the Nest Cam Outdoor.

Pros & Cons

PROS:

Integration with Nest-compatible products and great smartphone app

1080p HD

Nest Aware service

Weatherproof and very durable

CONS:

Strictly wired setup, which is quite unfortunate for an outdoor camera

It’s hard to find any flaw with the Nest Cam Outdoor, an almost perfect product. The only major downside is the wired-only installation, which can limit its placement. The 1080p HD video quality, again, is a rarity for outdoor cameras even nowadays, so it’s a nice feature to have. Simply put, if you are looking for a wireless camera, Arlo Pro is probably a better choice, other than that, Nest Outdoor Camera is better in almost every aspect.

Reolink RLC-411WS Security Cam

The first thing you might notice from the RLC-419WS is its design, which sports an old-school bullet-shaped design common in older professional cameras. Another major highlight is its impressive 1440p video quality, as well as the excellent night vision with 36 IR LEDs. So far so good, so how will it fare against other outdoor cameras? Let’s take a look at its key features.

Features

1440p Video Quality -Simply among the best in the market. It is crystal clear in the day, and during the night, the quality doesn’t differ a lot, thanks to the superior 36-IR night vision technology.

Affordability – Even with all the great features, the Reolink RLC-411WS comes at a very affordable price, almost half of its competitors on this list.

Local Storage – You can save all your videos in the built-in 16GB micro SD, which can easily be upgraded or expanded with an affordable price.

Pros & Cons

PROS:

1440p HD video quality with excellent night vision

Local Storage, saving long-term costs for cloud storage services

Very affordable

Decent smartphone app and PC software

Weatherproof, waterproof and very durable

CONS:

Wired-only setup

Limited viewing range of only 80-degrees

The Reolink RLC-411WS is a very affordable security camera with excellent features. The major downsides are the exclusively wired setup, which can limit placement flexibility, as well as the relatively limited field of vision range of 36°-100° degrees of viewing angles. The 1440p HD video quality made this product stands out from its competitors. If video quality is important for you, and if wired installation is not an issue, the RLC-411WS is an excellent and affordable choice.

Canary Flex Security Camera

As the name ‘Flex’ may suggest, the Canary Flex’s highlight is the 360-degree magnetic swivel base, which can be twisted in any direction. With that feature, along with the built-in rechargeable battery, the Canary Flex arguably is the most flexible on this list regarding placement. The Canary Flex also sports a 1080p HD video quality and can be used outdoor. So far so good, here are the key features of the Canary Flex Security Camera.

Features

1080p HD Outdoor Video Quality – As mentioned, full HD video quality is a rarity among outdoor cameras, so it’s a great plus.

Built-in Rechargeable Battery – Wire-free design is a plus point for an outdoor camera

Weatherproof – Another must for an outdoor camera

Pros & Cons

PROS:

Unique, flexible swivel base for flexibility

1080p HD video resolution

Wire-free design with rechargeable battery

Weatherproof

CONS:

Decent, but not the best smartphone app

Relatively weak Wi-Fi reception

The Canary Flex is on paper, an excellent product. However, the companion app and Wi-Fi connectivity are a bit lackluster compared to other products on this list. You might want to get a Wi-Fi extender to stabilize the connection, but otherwise, an almost perfect outdoor camera with added flexibility.

Logitech Circle WiFi Security Camera

The name Logitech should ring a bell for most of us, being one of the most famous manufacturers of computer peripherals and other devices. The Logitech Circle is their attempt to enter the smart security camera market and is currently a very popular product. It is a strictly indoor camera, comparable to the Netgear Arlo Q in many aspects. One of the unique features of the Logitech Circle is that it will only record footage when the motion sensor detects something, so it will save a lot of cloud storage space. Here are the key features of the Logitech Circle.

Pros & Cons

PROS:

Simple and beautiful design

1080p HD video resolution quality

Wide 135-degrees of viewing angle

Compact-sized

CONS:

Battery power too low must practically

Relatively weak Wi-Fi receiver

The Logitech Circle offers a nice way to record every precious moment in your household, along with added security measures. As an indoor camera, it boasts some of the best and unique features compared to the competitors. However, the key highlight of the Logitech Circle is that it is very simple and easy to use. Paired with the simple and fun design, the Logitech Circle brought the most fun out of all the choices on this list. Arguably, the best small security camera out there.

Zmodo Smart WiFi Security Camera

Zmodo provides not just one, but four cameras in one package with a very affordable price tag. This product will cost you almost half or other products on this list, and you got four instead of one. Being a very cheap product, the features it provides is not cheap at all. They provide a nice 720p video resolution, decent night vision technology, and a smartphone app.

Features

Affordable – Without any doubt, affordability is the key highlight of the Zmodo IP-Based Security Cameras.

Decent Performance – For its price tag, it doesn’t sacrifice a lot in performances. It provides a nice 720p video resolution, decent sound quality, and a decent smartphone app.

One Package, Four Cameras – If you are looking to install multiple cameras, the Zmodo Smart Cameras might as well be the best choice. Very affordable, easy to setup and integrate with each other.

Pros & Cons

PROS:

Very affordable, which is its biggest selling point

720p video resolution

Decent sound quality for its price

Decent night vision

Ease of use and installation

Decent and intuitive smartphone app

CONS:

Cheap and rather ugly design

Questionable durability

Power cord too short

No third party integration at all

The Zmodo Wireless Cameras is a very affordable product, yet it features many amazing qualities. It provides nothing groundbreaking, but it provides many similar features found on products twice or thrice their price. The major downsides are the cheap design and the length of the provided power cord. You might want to replace it or reroute your cables to get it to work. The Zmodo Cameras are also not very durable, which is expected for its price tag. Nevertheless, it is a very decent on-budget product, one of the best IP camera products.

Best Outdoor Security Camera System

Although the Nest Cam can technically be used outdoor (and is very decent at it), we felt that there is one other product that performed better in this aspect:

Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera

Of course, the Nest Cam Outdoor sports a very nice 1080p video resolution, which is, again, a rarity among outdoor security cameras. Although the Nest Cam Outdoor is strictly wired, after installation, it is almost guaranteed to perform seamlessly.

The Nest Cam Outdoor is excellent in every aspect: it has a nice integration with other (very popular) Nest products, very durable and nice waterproof finish, stable Wi-Fi connection, and very intuitive smartphone app. Almost perfect. Other honorable mentions in this category are the Ring Stick Up Cam, and the mentioned Arlo Pro.

Best On-Budget Choice

For on-budget choices, there is only two options on this list: the Reolink RLC-411WS Security Cam or the Zmodo Smart Wireless Cameras. One of them is an excellent single camera, while the other is a four-in-one package, different values for different needs.

However, our choice goes to:

Reolink Security Cam

The 1440HD video quality, local storage option, and waterproof finish are very nice features for its price point. The only major downside is its rather complicated wired installation, but other than that, it is an excellent value for its price.

However, it’s not to say that the Zmodo Wireless Cameras are not great, as you can get four cameras with roughly the same price. If you are in need of multiple cameras, the Zmodo Cameras might be a better overall choice.

Conclusion

Smart security cameras are getting very affordable, very easy to use, and very functional. If you haven’t adopted a best wireless camera in your household, there has never been a better time. The first and foremost thing to consider before buying is your intended placement, as it can determine a lot of your decisions. For example, if you intend to place it in a rather hard-to-reach place, you might want to consider products with a built-in battery option.

Also, look at the current smart home products you already have, as the integration might also affect your product choice.We certainly hope that this article can help you make a better purchase decision. Feel free to comment below for any further questions.

Hello Patrick,
I am glad you have success with Foscam, they are great, but there better choices available.
I think Phillips cameras stopped working because it doesn’t support Wi-Fi bands that Apple Time Machine operates.